Incident dates back to 2014

Bike event organisers appeared in court yesterday regarding an event in 2014 in which a spectator was struck by a bike and later died.

The British Cycling Federation (BCF) appeared in court this week in relation to an incident in 2014 at a downhill race at Llangollen where a spectator was struck by a falling bike and later died as a result of the injuries sustained.

A race official and a marshal also appeared in Flintshire Magistrates’ Court, Mold.

The British Cycling Federation face a charge of failing to conduct its undertaking in such a way as to ensure the health and safety of people attending.

The race official is alleged to have failed to conduct the event in such a way that people were not exposed to risk, and that the official also failed to ensure the safety of spectators and also failed to provide marshals with adequate training. The official is also alleged to have failed to report the death.

The marshal faces allegations that they failed to ensure that health and safety duties were complied with.

No please have been made at this stage. District Judge Gwyn Jones and both the prosecuting barrister and defending barrister all stated that the case should be held in Crown Court. A date of September 29 has been set at Mold Crown Court.

The victim was Judith Garrett, 29, who died from major head injuries after being struck by a bicycle when a rider lost control. She was airlifted to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire but died the following day.